madison@vms.ecs.rpi.edu (Matt Madison) (09/19/90)
Archive-name: pcx/26-Jul-90 Original-posting-by: madison@vms.ecs.rpi.edu (Matt Madison) Original-subject: PCX - reads and writes MSDOS-format floppies Archive-site: vms.ecs.rpi.edu [128.113.5.15] Reposted-by: emv@math.lsa.umich.edu (Edward Vielmetti) A while back I posted an article asking for a utility to read and write MSDOS-format floppies on a VMS system. Since I got no responses, I broke down and wrote one myself. I have just posted PC Exchange (PCX) to vmsnet.sources, and I have placed it on vms.ecs.rpi.edu [128.113.5.15] and vms2.ecs.rpi.edu [128.113.5.14] for access via anonymous FTP or through E-mail to Fileserv@vms.ecs.rpi.edu. Since this if version 1.0 of the program, I expect that there will be at least a few bugs in there that I haven't caught. Also, although it should work with the RX23, RX23S, RX33, and RX33S drives, I have only been able to test it out with the RX23S in my VAXstation 3100/M38. (BTW, the S denotes SCSI interconnect, as opposed to ST506.) I would be interested in hearing from people who try to use PCX with other types of drives. You can read double- or high-density diskettes. Only high-density diskettes are supported when writing or formatting (a VMS or hardware restriction, I guess). It fully supports MSDOS directory structures. Documentation is a bit thin, but there is a help file. Sources are available in both BLISS and MACRO (as generated by the BLISS compiler). The vmsnet.sources posting only includes the MACRO source, to save space. Later, Matt -- Matthew Madison, Systems Programmer | "'Cynic' is what an idealist Engineering Computing Services | calls a realist." Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Troy, New York 12180-3590 USA | Internet: madison@vms.ecs.rpi.edu Bitnet: MADISON@RPIECSVX